COVID-19 Inspires New Building Designs and Features

As the coronavirus pandemic leads to increased daily cleaning routines in households, schools, workplaces, and public facilities, new building designs and features are following. Disinfection rooms, sanitizing butlers, and UV-C robots are now part of COVID-19 cleaning protocols at these facilities, and have become the latest building luxury amenities, Forbes reports.

Disinfection rooms

Having a designated room in a household or building to disinfect has become the new norm in some facilities. Some luxury hotels and residences are rebranding their entrance corridors or mudrooms into disinfection rooms which contain hand sanitizers, handwashing stations, shoe bootie machines that cover shoes with temporary shoe covers, as well as branded face masks and gowns guests, residents, and staff can wear over clothing.

Sanitizing butlers

Some multi-family buildings are now using sanitizing butlers to clean high-touch areas and public spaces. One of them is Continuum on South Beach, in Miami, Fl., where the sanitizing butler disinfects beachfront furniture and table surfaces between each use. The resident-only gym at Continuum books workout times by an appointment app and is disinfected between each use. The residents must also take temperature checks at an automated health kiosk before entering the property.

UV-C robots

Multi-family buildings and workplaces also now have ultraviolet (UV-C) disinfection lights in elevators, package rooms, and personal residences.

Rishi Idnani, managing director of the Continuum on South Beach, told Forbes that his facility uses UV-C wands as part of their cleaning routine. “The UV wands are used to disinfect high-touch public areas, such as door handles, handrails, and bathrooms throughout the property. In addition, our housekeeping team utilizes the UV wands to protect themselves when using shared devices and equipment used within the organization.”

Some buildings also have acquired UV-C robots to kill the coronavirus. Miami Worldcenter has LightStrike UV-C robots working in public spaces, and they can also be requested for personal use by residents in their own units in an as-needed basis. This is part of Miami Worldcenter’s initiative to build COVID-19-conscious hotel and residential buildings.

Daniel Kodsi, CEO of Miami’s Royal Palm Cos. and developer of the project, said in a  press release statement, “The entire tower will be built with touchless techniques, antimicrobial materials, hospital-grade purification and filtration systems throughout all areas.